La Liga: Simeone tells Mourinho to respect referees after derby win

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Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone has urged Real Madrid coach José Mourinho to show respect towards referees, insisting that even the biggest names in football must be careful with their comments about match officials.

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Simeone was responding to Mourinho’s remarks concerning refereeing decisions after Madrid lost to Atlético Madrid 2-1 on Sunday.

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Simeone stressed that reputations should not put anyone above the standards expected of managers.

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In a post on X on Sunday, football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said Simeone was quoted as saying, You cannot lose the referees’ respect,” Simeone said. “No matter how much of a big name you are, like Mourinho is… we need to be respectful.”

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The Atlético Madrid manager also warned that there should be limits when managers speak publicly about officials.

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“You should never cross the line,” Simeone said. “Regardless of who you are; Mourinho, Flick, Pellegrini, me, or anyone else, we need to be careful about what we say.”

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Simeone added that refereeing decisions are part of football and that teams will experience both favorable and unfavorable calls during a season.

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“Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don’t,” he said.

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Turning to the match itself, Simeone offered a straightforward assessment of the contest, highlighting the difference between the two sides’ effectiveness in key moments.

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“The match was clear: there was one team that controlled it, one team that knew how to take advantage of the important moments in the game,” Simeone said, “and another team that didn’t create the goalscoring chances they normally do.”

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